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Already down one goaltender, the Carolina Hurricanes apparently will have to play without veteran netminder Dan Ellis for the next 7-10 days.

According to Raleigh News & Observer reporter Chip Alexander, that's how long Ellis is expected to be out with a cut near his knee suffered near the end of Thursday's 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Ellis appeared to suffer the injury during a goalmouth scramble in which several players skated through his crease. During a stoppage in play he removed his glove to check on his leg and came out with blood on his hand. He immediately skated off the ice and was replaced for the final 51 seconds by Justin Peters.

Cam Ward is already expected to miss the rest of the regular season with an MCL sprain. Peters would likely be the No. 1 goaltender until Ellis is healthy, and according to Alexander's report, Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford said John Muse of the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers is the first option to be recalled.

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I don't have a crystal ball. Predicting is a real complicated thing. If we stay healthy, have enough depth and get the good goaltending we think we're going to have, you can go all the way. But a lot of things have to happen. There's going to be a lot of teams that think the same thing. Everyone made deals. We're all are optimistic about where we'll end up.

— Rangers general manager Glen Sather after being asked if he's constructed a team that can win the Stanley Cup before their 4-1 win against the Predators on Monday